, 1887-12-22

shots, then recovered ana started Tor
her again, she seized the sl,t and
striking the deceased, knocked him
back toward the door. He fell to the
ground, and then those mysterious
blood spots were made. The deceased
again rose and started forward, and re.
ceivng another blow, fell in the posi-.
ton in which the body was found.
That accounted for the facts which
the prosecution considered 80 mys'
terous.
The cipher letter WAS nothing
against the defendant. She had been
used to writing to hcr brother in that
manner for long time. As for the
fact tha, che wished to post John IN
regard to the transaction, II must be
very evident to the jury that he needed
il, being dull and unable to recall cir
cumst,nces distinctly. He would
leave it to the jury IL they would not
have done just as defendant did under
the circum stances, and II the circum.
stances were not as che had narrated
| I iem.
At the close OF his argument he re-
ferred eloquently to the terrible posi-
| ton of the defendant, and in the nan,e
of justice and humrnity demanded
that the jury bring in verdict of ac-
quittal. During this part of the argu-
ment the prisoner was visibly affected.
Colonel Turner then closed the ar
gument for the defense. He reminded
the jury of the gravity OF their duty,
and tlien proceeded to arraign the
prosecution for having conducted the
trial IN u grossly unfair manner. IL
was in following his advice that the
defendant had become involved in
the terrible trouble which now weighs
upon her, and on this account he was
more than usually interested in the
case. Ii the prosecution did not accept
the statements of the defendant and her
brother they had no evidence that the
deceased was killed by the defendant.
Turner then read the testimony of
Mrs. Teller on the witness stand, and
pointed out how straightforward it
was, and how it had been corroborat-
ed by other evidence. With dramatic
effect he recounted how the defend
ant had come to him the morning of
the killing and recOunted the circum-
stances of it.
In this case the verdict must either
be of guilty Of murder in the first de-
gree, or OF acqutal. There is no
room for any halfway verdict. The
defense asked no favor of the jury.
They simply desired them to decide
the case on the evidence presented.
Colonel Turner spoke for over two
hours and at the conclusion of his ad'
dress, the court took recess till Z 30 |
p. M.
When the evening session,began. the
court room was we'll filled with people |
anxious to see the close OF this cele- |
brated case. In the opening OF his |
speech Murray referred to the action OF |
counsel for the defense in criticising |
the neghbors of the defendant, for hir-
ing private counsel to aid in the prose.
cution. He thought it should be com
rather than criticised and he |
thought the same IN regard to the crit |
icising OF the public officials which |
was .entrely unwarranted. He did |
not wish to have the defendant con-
victed if the jury were not reasonably |
certain that she had committed the |
crime. Innocent or guilty the picture
OF that terrible scene would be fixed in |
her mind, influencing her life in this
world and in the world 10 come. TAX |
ing up the facts in the case, there |
was no doubt but that man bad been
killed. The defendant had given an |
explanation of the killing, which was
by her brother. Did the
bear cut that explana-
ton? The prosecution thought not. |
The defendant said that she was afraid |
Of the deceased because he had utter. \
cd threats against her, yet the evl-
dence showed that these threats had |
been made while she was separated |
from him, yet after knowing OF them,
she returned voluntarily to him. The |
day before the killing she consulted n
lawyer as to her rights to hold the |
property. She wanted it. Frank Teller is
dead, the property is hers. Did the jury |
see nothing significant in thatp Did |
the facts bear out the story of the de-
fendant? Would woman who had
feled her husband in self'defense
see how badly he was hurtf 1t was
not human nature, neither was IT hui
man nature that John Dugan should
have stood by watching the hght Wlth-
out interfering. No doctor nor any
one else could make the speaker be-
leve that pistol ball, which did not
have sufficient force to penetrate the
skin would knock a man down, and
he had seen good deal of shooting
in the war. 1t was rather improbable
that defendant should bave held the
horses all the time the encounter WAS
going on. Other improbable features
of the story were pointed out, and then
with All eloauence and solemnity which
rivite1 the attention of every one in
the room, Murray left the case i'll the
hands of the jury.
1t was the prevailing opinion that
Murrays speech was remarkably pow
erful and at the same time just to the
defendant, and i'll fact counsel for de-